Lost Princess
by Acacia Jules
Summary: [Set in 1999] Sonny drives Carly home the night of the blizzard and gets into an accidnet. Carly is critically injuried and in a coma, when she wakes up, she remembers something that's going to shock Port Charles. [JasCar, NikEm, StefanLaura]
1. The Accident

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters (damn it!), they belong to ABC, the producers of GH and Goddess knows whoever else.  
  
I~ This is actually my first fan fiction, but, like it's title, it was lost, well stolen is more like it. Because the notebook I wrote it in was stolen out of a gym locker room. Why somebody took it is beyond me, but nonetheless, they did. I've rewritten it to the best of my ability. I hope that you like it, it gives a really weird twist to the Carly story line. I warn you though, I was really eager for things to go where I wanted them to, so things move very quickly. ~ /I  
  
  
Lost Princess   
By Clover  
  
  
Prologue and Chapter 1  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
ITo set the scene . . .   
  
This story is another way things could have gone that day of the blizzard if Sonny had tried to drive Carly home himself. .   
  
Some people will be in different places than they were during the story.  
  
Oh, and Frank Scanlon never lost his job. He was never caught, but he's off DL56./I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Johnny had just come in and told Sonny that the roads were closed.  
  
"Sorry boss, the road are closed because of the weather conditions." Johnny reported.  
  
"I don't care if the roads are closed. I'll drive her myself then." Sonny fumed.  
  
He roughly seized Carly's arm and took his and her coats, then pulled her out the door.  
  
  
  
b** Four minutes later **/b  
  
  
Sonny's driving way to fast for the icy conditions and blinding snow.   
  
"Sonny, you should slow down, you're going too fast." Carly told him.  
  
Sonny didn't answer, he just sped up in response.   
  
"Sonny! Slow down!! It's really icy out there. It's too dangerous!" Carly yelled.  
  
Suddenly the car hit a patch of black ice, and they were caught in a white out. The tires slipped and spun on the ice, the last thing Sonny remembered was the sound Carly's screams of terror silenced by the sickening sound of crushing metal as the passenger side slammed into a telephone pole.   
  
  
b** 15 minutes later **/b  
  
An ambulance driver passing the snow-covered wreck sees it and stops to check it out. A paramedic jumped out of the back and looked into the car, seeing two people, unconscious.   
  
"HEY! There are two people in here!" He yelled back to the driver.  
  
One of the other paramedics hopped out while the driver called into dispatch, giving their ETA, and ordering for a second ambulance for the other victim.   
  
  
The other paramedic got to the scene quickly.   
  
"Frank get over to the passenger side, looks as though the female sustained the worst injuries from the accident." The first paramedic hollered over the wind.  
  
"Right Dan." Frank called out.  
  
Frank Scanlon got the door open, and was frightened at what he saw, "Dan, go get the stretcher."  
  
"But . . ."  
  
"NOW, trust me, we need to get her out of the car as soon as we can, she's got hypothermia, and make sure you get a neck brace." Frank ordered the rookie. He knew that the girl was in trouble.   
  
  
  
b** GH 25 minutes later ** /b  
  
  
"Damn it!" Frank yelled in the ambulance bay, "It took way to long to get here because of the weather."  
  
They rushed into the waiting room with the first stretcher.  
  
Frank called out her stats to the doctors, "Female, early twenties, really bad car accident, slammed into a pole. Suffering from hypothermia on top of it, head injury, possible back, maybe some internal injuries, never gained consciousness. The drivers right behind me."  
  
  
Just as Frank called that out, Sonny's brought in.  
  
"Male, thirties, head injury, multiple lacerations and contusions . . ."  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** Three-day's later, ICU **/b  
  
  
Jason was in the waiting room, sitting in a hard plastic chair. He'd left Michael at home with Latisha. He was worried about Carly. He knew that it was Sonny's fault, and that Carly was in the ICU, but that was all the information that the doctors had given, except that she was in a coma, and that her brain was swelled, she was in critical condition.   
  
AJ walked into the room, and was surprised to see Jason there. He didn't think that Jason would be there . . . .  
  
Jason looked at AJ with cold, emotionless, eyes. AJ returned the stare with one of contempt and hatred.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Sonny woke up and didn't know where he is at first; he looks around and saw his arm was hooked up to an IV. It all came rushing back to him, the car, Carly, the blinding snow, loosing control of he car, the crash of the telephone pole against the car, Carly suddenly silenced . . . .  
  
A nurse walked in and noticed that he had awaked, "Ah, Mr. Corinthos, you're awake. I'll go get a doctor." She started to leave the room, when Sonny stopped her.  
  
"The woman I was with, how is she? Is she alright?" He asked. As much as he hated Carly, he prayed that he didn't hurt her too badly.  
  
The nurse paused for a second, "I need to get the doctor . . . . "  
  
"Please. What happened to her?" Sonny pleaded.  
  
The nurse sighed, "She's in the ICU. She's in a coma in critical condition. She has some brain swelling too." Then she left in a hurry.  
  
"Damn it!" Sonny berated himself, "It's all your fault, you had to be so stupid as to try and take her home in a blizzard, just because you couldn't stand her."  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Jason was relieved, the doctors had finally allowed him in to see Carly. She looked like she was just sleeping. If you didn't look at the IV in her arm, or the big white bandage on her forehead.  
  
He was just about to leave the room when he heard something. He turned around and saw Carly stirring. Jason quickly got a doctor.  
  
  
The doctor came, but made Jason leave the room.  
  
A nurse joined the doctor as he examined her. Carly started to mumble something, "Stef . . . Cass . . . ine . . . ." The rest of what she said they weren't able to understand, it was in a foreign language. Then she was out cold again  
  
"Doctor, I think that she said Stefan Cassadine. Maybe, we should contact him." The nurse uttered.  
  
"I think that you're right. Do so immediately." The doctor ordered, they finished their examination, and hurry out of the room, forgetting to inform Jason of their diagnoses.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Stefan Cassadine was in Windermere's living room talking with Laura Spencer when the phone rang.   
  
"Hello? . . . Yes . . . Me? . . . What does she look like? . . . " Stefan's face got pale, "Really? . . . Uh huh . . . WHAT?! . . . I'll be right there." Then he hung up the phone.  
  
"What is that about?" Laura asked concerned after hearing Stefan's tone of voice.  
  
"Do you remember Katarina?" Stefan inquired.  
  
"Yes, I remember her, from the island, she was only five months old when I first met her. I couldn't believe her golden hair, or how beautiful she was." Laura got reminiscent, but then a puzzled look crossed her visage, "What about her?"  
  
"Well, about three years ago, she disappeared. I searched everywhere for her, but there was no avail, I couldn't find Katya. She was only 17 when she disappeared. I had always suspected foul play. Her birthday would have been a month ago . . . she would have been 20."  
  
"What made you bring her up?" Laura requested.  
  
"Well, at the hospital, there's a girl there, she only spoke Russian when she woke up. They thought they heard Stefan Cassadine, so they called me. I think that it may be her." Stefan had a hopeful look in his eye.  
  
"Stefan, please, don't get your hopes up, it probably isn't her." Laura reasoned.  
  
"But what if it is Laura? What if it is?"   
  
  
  
b** 30 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Stefan took a deep breath, and looked into the room. He glanced at the face on the bed, and breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly made his way to the side of the bed and sat down. Stefan took her hand, and held it in his own.   
  
He whispered to her what he felt, "Katya, I have been so worried about you. I thought I had lost you forever. You had me worried. You didn't want to do that did you?"   
  
Katarina heard Stefan's words, "No Papa. Grandmother brainwashed me."  
  
Stefan looked up in surprise, and horror, "What?! She did what?"  
  
"Grandmother brainwashed me into thinking that I was Caroline Benson, Bobbie Spencer's biological daughter, she even gave me all of her memories. I completely forgot who I really was. I thought that I was older than 21 when I came to Port Charles." Katarina explained.  
  
"I know sweetie. I know. I've heard of this Carly Roberts/Caroline Benson person."  
  
"Papa, what are we going to tell everyone? Especially Bobbie?"   
  
Stefan smiled at his daughter, "Well, we could help her find her real daughter."  
  
Katarina's eyes got dark, "No, all we can do, is show her the grave. Grandmother killed her." She shuddered at the memory. "Shot right to the heart."  
  
Stefan's eyes, a moment before filled with joy, fill with anger, "Mother killed her right in front of you?"  
  
Katarina nodded her head. "I do not want to think about it. Will you send Jason in? I need to tell him this myself."  
  
Stefan nods his head getting up, "I will go inform the Spencers, of, what Helena has done. I just hope that they will believe me. As much as our families have hated each other, I still must feel regretful about this, it is so unfair for Bobbie to have to loose her daughter again."  
  
He was about to walk out the door when Katarina stopped him, "Papa, how is Nikolas? Is it true that he is my brother?"   
  
"Yes Katya. It is true. Nikolas is your brother."  
  
"So, Nikoli is my brother. Will you send him in after Jason leaves? I would like to talk to him too, an older sister to little brother chat." Katarina says smiling.  
  
Stefan's face broke into a happy smile.  
  
He stepped out of the room, and assumed his normal disposition. Stefan spotted Jason, who was watching him come out of Katarina, or Carly's, room. Stefan calmly walked over to the man.  
  
"She wishes to speak to you Mr. Morgan."   
  
Then he walked into the waiting room, shocking the Spencers at his presence, he sensed Laura walk up behind him, and she slipped her hand into his, then squeezed it reassuringly, somehow knowing what he was going to be saying.   
  
"So, what are you doing here Count Vlad?" Luke demanded snidely.  
  
"I was visiting my daughter." Stefan replied coolly.  
  
"What daughter? You don't have a daughter." Bobbie responded.  
  
"Yes he does." Laura affirmed, "Katarina's in the room behind us."  
  
"But that's Carly's room." Bobbie frowned.  
  
"No, it is not." Stefan answered, "It is hard to tell you this, but, there is no Carly, not anymore at least."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Lucky questioned, he was there hoping to develop a relationship with his cousin.  
  
"The woman that you have known as Caroline Benson, is not Caroline Benson. For the past three years, that is who she was brainwashed into thinking so though, she even had all of the real Caroline Benson's memories. Three years ago, Helena kidnapped my 17-year-old daughter. I have spent years, searching for her. I got a call today, saying that a blond woman, in her early twenties, spoke my name after coming out of a three-day coma. I immediately came here, in hopes that it was she."  
  
"That's not true." Bobbie insisted, "That is my daughter. That is Caroline Benson. I am her mother. There is no way in hell, that she is your daughter. I bet you don't even have a daughter."  
  
Laura lashed out angrily, "Bobbie! Stefan indeed has a daughter. Her name Katarina Cassadine. Stefan and I called her Katya, for short. She's 20 years old, blond hair, big brown eyes. I met her when she was only three months old, when I was on the island. She had such a sweet disposition as a baby. Her first word was Papa, the man whom she adored with all her little heart." Her voice, which was tense at first, got softer as she remembered the child.  
  
Luke could tell when Laura was lying, knew that she was speaking the truth. Bobbie however, didn't believe her.  
  
"If she's your daughter, where's her mother?" Bobbie demanded harshly.  
  
Stefan's voice grew sad, "My wife, Nícole, died giving birth to our Katya. She only lived long enough, to hold her once."  
  
Bobbie could finally tell that he was telling the truth, and felt bad about digging up all these painful memories, "I'm so sorry Stefan. I just need to know one more thing, what happened to Caroline?"  
  
"I am sorry, but Katarina just told me that, Helena killed her. She even forced my 17-year-old daughter to watch the poor woman be shot."  
  
"Shot?" Bobbie choked out. "She's dead, my baby's dead."  
  
Luke wrapped his arms around Bobbie as her tears began to flow.  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Jason walked into "Carly's" room. He saw her gazing out the window, she looked different somehow, graceful, elegant, there was this air to her, that he'd never felt before. But above all that, she was still breath taking.  
  
"Carly, what was Stefan Cassadine doing in your room?" Jason asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"Ah, Jason. We urgently need to talk. Would you please sit down?" She asked, motioning to the chair.  
  
Jason did so, but noted her different manner of speaking, "What do we need to talk about?"  
  
"It is about this Caroline Benson. I am not her. I never was she technically. I mean, I am the person that you have known for the past few years, but I am not 'her'. I am not the woman both you and I thought I was."  
  
"What are you talking about? You aren't making sense. What do you mean you're not Carly." Jason questioned confused.  
  
"Jason, three years ago, my grandmother kidnapped me from Greece, she brainwashed me into thinking that I was Caroline Benson, Bobbie Spencer's birth daughter, which I am not."  
  
"Your not?"   
  
"No, my name is really Katarina Nícole Cassadine. I do remember everything, and all my feelings were genuine, for you and Michael at least. Tony, well, he was something my grandmother made me do to get back at the Spencers. I am sorry Jason."  
  
"What am I though? Was I also something to do with this?" Jason asked quietly, he doesn't know why, but he's afraid she might feel differently about him now, but why did he care was the question. Because she's your best friend, was his answer to himself, although he didn't quite believe that was all.  
  
"No. Not at all, you were never part of the plan. I never would have wanted you to get mixed up in this entire thing, it is unfair to you."  
  
Jason took a deep breath, and ran his hands through his hair.   
  
Katarina's concerned, "Are you alright?"   
  
"How much do you remember?" Jason asked.  
  
"Everything, I remember everything about the past three years. I remember meeting you for the first time nearly three years ago. I remember everything about my life before my grandmother kidnapped me."   
  
"Are you still my friend, can I still trust you?" Jason demanded bluntly.  
  
She took his hands, and looked deeply into his eyes, "Jason, you can trust me, you will always be able to trust me. I will never ever betray you. I value your friendship too much. I . . . " She stopped speaking.  
  
Jason didn't know why, but he had to know what she was about to say, he ws just beginning to realize what she truly means to him, "You what?"  
  
"I, I, I love you." She managed to get out. Katarina looked hesitantly into his eyes, "I just wish that you felt the same way." She told him sadly.  
  
"I think I do." Jason voiced, surprising both of them.  
  
"What?" Katarina exclaimed.   
  
"I think that I love you." Jason repeated, feeling as though a giant weight had been lifted off his chest, which he didn't even know existed.  
  
"No you do not." Katarina shook her head, not believe it at all. Things were moving much too quickly.  
  
"But I do." Jason insisted. "I love you."  
  
Both felt themselves get closer and closer, they lips met, and the passion that they felt for each other exploded into a hot and heavy kiss.   
  
Katarina pulled back first, "We cannot do this. We cannot just kiss like this."  
  
"Why not?" Jason asked puzzled.  
  
"Because, you don't even know me. You know Carly. But you do not know me, Katya." She told him, in her hurried speech, her Greek accent shows though a little.  
  
"So?" Jason asks naively. "We didn't know each other when we first met."  
  
"Jason first of all, I was much younger. And I was thinking that I was a totally different person. If you truly love me, you will do things my way." Katarina implored.  
  
"And what way would that be?" Jason inquired, willing to do just about anything.  
  
"Go slowly. Go on real dates. Where you pick me up on Spoon Island with flowers, dressed up, and we go to dinner. You buy me gifts." She told him with a smile. "You must pursue me."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Good. Then our first date will be the Friday after I get out of the hospital." Katarina declared.   
  
"Great." Jason told her, liking what he was seeing, her personality intrigued him, "One question though."  
  
"What?" She asked puzzled at what it could be.  
  
"What do you want me to call you?" Jason requested, understanding what it was like to be called something you were not.   
  
"Oh, well, you can call me Katya, like Papa does. Just don't let him know that you do. He like to think that only he's allowed to call me that." She let him know quietly, as if it were a big secret.   
  
Jason nodded his head and smiled, he knew that he had liked Carly's personality, but there was some added bonus now, like the two personalities had combined into one that made his head spin, and he really liked it.  
  
He watched her eyes start to droop, then close as she fell asleep. Jason sat there, watching her sleep for the rest of the night.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I live for feedback, good or bad!   
  
  
  
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	2. Clearing up a Few Matters

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters (damn it!), they belong to ABC, the producers of GH and Goddess knows whoever else.  
  
  
I~ Author's Note: Pretend Jason never left the Organization. The stuff with them moving out still happened, and they still moved to the other penthouse, but Sonny and Jason still run things. ~ /I  
  
  
  
Lost Princess  
By Clover  
  
  
Chapter 2  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Katarina was lying in bed, reading her favorite book, the Russian version of uThe Diamond Tiger/u. A steamy romance novel, that her Cousin Alexis well, her aunt now, had given to her on her 15th birthday. Alexis had brought it in about 30 minutes ago. Her aunt was acting very edgy about something, and she'd left soon after she had come. Katarina wondered what was going on, and decided that she would make sure she found out.  
  
Katarina was just getting to the really good part where Erin was fixing Cole's injuries after they had been attacked on the beach, when someone knocked on the door.  
  
Katarina sighed, then put her tattered bookmark into the book, "Come in."  
  
Nikolas timidly came into the room, "You up for a visitor?"  
  
"Nikoli! Please come in. I missed you."   
  
Nikolas smiled then quickly went over to the bed and sat down, "Katya, I've missed you, the tutors were so boring with out your practical tricks. Plus, then I was the only one on the island my age."  
  
"I am so sorry. I swear that it was not my choice to leave."  
  
Nikolas's eyes darkened, "I know, Grandmother."  
  
"Now, Nikolas, I want you to promise me something."  
  
"Anything, what?"   
  
"Promise not to get mad about what I am about to say. As your older sister I have the right to say this."  
  
Nikolas sighed, but he knew that he would never be able to say no to her, he never had been able to, "Alright. Say what you're going to say. I know that I won't be able to stop you."  
  
I[Warning from the author, this is going to be long, but it needed to be said, I needed to say it, I had to get these feelings off my chest about Katherine, and the way Nikolas was treating Laura. I hope I don't offend anyone.]/I  
  
Katarina takes a deep breath, then starts yelling at him in Russian, so only he would understand her incase someone else over heard, "bWhat the hell is wrong with you?!/b Are you crazy? You are having sex with Papa's ex-fiancée? That is just wrong! I mean, it is revolting. First of all, she is twice your age. And it is even more repulsive because of her resemblance to Laura, in case you had not noticed. You are basically sleeping with your bImother/b/I.   
Now I understand that you are mad at Laura for lying to you, and 'abandoning you' on the island, but that is just obscene. All your doing is using Katherine for a substitute for Laura Nikoli, someone to care for you, and love you. Well you already got that you simpleton, what do you call Alexis, Papa, me? Plus, her idea of fashion is just deplorable, from what I have heard." Katarina calmed down, "Nikolas, you have so many things going for you, and you choose a middle age gold digger? Nikolas, try someone in your age group. My God! You probably have a girl right under your nose that is fond of you akin to that, and you just over look her everyday.  
And as for your mother; Aunt Laura would never have left you willingly, Papa talked about her all the time, did you know that before you came, she used to play with me, and she helped Papa help me learn to walk? Laura loved you so much; she played with you all the time when she was still on the island. She used to take you to the cove and have long conversations with you, about everything. Papa said that she was the best thing on the entire island, she brought life to it, brightened somber rooms, made everything seem right. She'd lost everything in her world, but she still was optimistic about life. Grandmother is the reason Laura left, I over heard it once, Helena was talking to someone, bragging about how she got Laura to leave by telling her that Luke was alive, then, when Laura tried to come back, Grandmother killed Lesley Webber, Laura's mother. It was never her fault."  
  
Nikolas was surprised, he'd never seen Katya act like this, but he was going to set her straight, "Laura is selfish, she could have taken me with her, or found someway to contact me. She tries to make up for it now, but what she did is unforgivable. She lied to me." He uttered in Russian back.   
  
"NICKOI, GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK ARRAGENT SCULL! Although things might not have gone perfect for you, but you had it good. At least you were even able to meet your mother; all I have ever had were Papa's stories, and the portrait on the island, to know my mother." Katarina rebuked in Russian. "Your mother lives just a few miles away from here, she wants to be with you. She loves you with all her heart! DO YOU NOT REALIZE HOW LUCKY YOU ARE?!"  
  
"But Katya-" Nikolas started.  
  
"I want you to go." Katarina demanded, "And do not dare forget what I have told you about your dependency to Katherine, I do not want to have to yell at you again." She started to feel a lump in her throat.  
  
"But . . ."  
  
"Leave Nikoli, please just leave." She implored, not wanting him to see her cry, "You are my brother, and I love you, but I just cannot deal with you anymore today."   
  
Nikolas left the room silently, grounded by everything that he learned that day.   
  
As he walked down the hall, he realized that Katarina was right, Katherine was a substitute for Laura, and he was not iin/i love her. All he had with her was a sick fixation. Just thinking about what they had done made him sick. Then he thought about what Katarina had said about someone his own age. Maybe he had over looked someone everyday, she had always been there for him, his support system. When his mother had 'died', she helped him, without even telling him that it was she who was doing it. Why hadn't he thought of it before? She was an amazing person, smart, funny, and a great friend, loyal, beautiful, and it finally hit him that she was sexy too, a model at that.   
  
Nikolas set off with one thing on his mind, Emily Bowen-Quartermaine.   
  
  
  
b** 20 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Nikolas called Emily again, she picked up, "Hello?"  
  
"Emily, please don't hang up again." He begged. She'd already hung up on him three times.  
  
He could hear Emily sighing, "What do you want Nikolas?" She asked wearily.  
  
"I really have something I need to talk to you about. It is very important. I promise, it's not a trick or anything."  
  
  
Emily can hear the sincerity, and urgency in his voice, and reluctantly agreed. "Alright. I'll meet you on the docks in 15 minutes." Then she hung up.  
  
  
Nikolas stared at the phone; he only had 15 minutes to get everything perfect.  
  
  
  
b** 15 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Emily stepped on to the docks, she couldn't believe that she'd actually agreed to meet Nikolas here. She was just about to go home, angry with herself for even coming when Nikolas ran up.  
  
"Emily! I am so glad that you actually showed up."  
  
"Why did you need to talk to me, its not like you broke up with Katherine or anything."  
  
"Actually, I did." Nikolas told her.  
  
Emily looked at him with wide eyes, "You broke up with her?"  
  
"Yes, I realized that I wasn't in love with her."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"Yeah, and I was wondering, um, would you like to go out to dinner with me on Friday"  
  
This question floored Emily, everything she'd always wanted was coming true. Nikolas Cassadine was asking Iher/I out on a date.  
  
"I would love too." She replied breathlessly  
  
"Great! Will you allow me to escort you back home?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
  
They were in the park, when Emily realized, that she had to know, "Nikolas, what made you realize that you is not love Katherine?"  
  
Nikolas looked at Emily, "It was my sister, she helped me realize that Katherine was just a substitution for my mother."  
  
"Lulu made you realize that?" Emily asked unbelieving.  
  
Nikolas laughed, "No, not Lulu, my older sister Katarina."  
  
"What older sister?" Emily was confused, she'd been out of town on a modeling shoot for a week, and had missed what had happened.  
  
"You don't know?" Nikolas looked at her in shock. "God, you'd better sit down. A lot has happened . . ."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Stefan walked into his Katya's room and watched her sleep, a tear slipped down his cheek, she looked so like her mother. His eyes got distant when he started thinking about her . . . All the people on the island had loved Nícole, his first wife, and the love of Stefan's life, she always so happy. Nícole was kind, gracious, beautiful, and warmhearted.   
She had been beautiful. Long blond hair, soulful dark brown eyes, she was born in Russia to a Count and a Countess, so she was poised, and well raised, the perfect woman in his eyes, and the eyes of the Cassadines.   
Nícole and Stefan were very happy, and were very excited about the prospect of their first, of which they had hoped would be the many children. Nícole was so happy that she'd had a girl, but died shortly after Katarina was born.  
  
  
Stefan sat down and watched Katarina sleep, after having not knowing her fate for three years, he wasn't going to let her out of his sight for along time if he could help it.  
  
  
b** Three hours later **/b  
  
Laura came into the room and saw Stefan asleep in a chair, after having watching resting his Katya.   
  
Laura smiled, then looked up at Katya. She wasn't at all surprised that Katarina had grown into a stunning young woman. Anyone could even tell when she was only a baby that she would be ravishing when she grew up. Katarina was one of the few things, besides Nikolas, that Laura had missed from the island. She'd grown to see Katya not just as her niece, but also as sort of a daughter. She had assisted Stefan in raising Katarina without a mother, and helped Stefan deal with his anguish over Nícole's death, just as he'd helped her with losing Luke. They had leaned upon each other as they'd mourned their lost loves.   
  
Stefan, Katya, and Nikolas were the bright spots of her life on the island, they had made themselves, essentially, a pretend-family; when Stavros was away on business that was, and thankfully that had been a lot. Laura was there when Katya had said her first word, when she'd taken her first step. All the things that were so monumental in Katarina's young life.   
  
  
Katarina awoke and found Laura watching her, then saw her Papa sleeping. The women caught each other's eyes and silently agreed not to wake him. Laura went to the other side of the bed and sat down.  
  
  
"You know, even when you were my Aunt via Luke I did not meet you? That is so weird. Papa used to tell Nikolas stories about you. I do not remember you, but Papa said that you were there for most of my very first firsts." Katarina told her quietly.  
  
"I was. You were such a beautiful baby. And your father spoiled you to death." Laura whispered, then she realized something, "How did you recognize me?"  
  
"Your painting. You have not changed at all. Did you know that Papa has kept all of your things? He loves you still you know."  
  
Laura was amazed, "He does? He still really loves me?"  
  
"Yes. Laura, you have no idea how much. When he talked about you, he used to get this smile on his face, he always told Nikolas and I about all the great times we had when Uncle Stavros was not around. The picnics, the bedtime stories, all the nice things you used to do with me, and how you would sing us to sleep."  
  
"How did he know that I sung you two to sleep, I did it secretly after the nurses had gone into the other rooms." Laura asked her flabbergasted.  
  
"Because I would secretly watch you from the doorway." Stefan spoke up, startling Laura and Katarina.  
  
"Ah, Stefan, I see you woke up from your little nap?" Laura asked with a smile.  
  
"I was just resting my eyes." Stefan admitted, "I heard the entire thing."  
  
"Really? And was all that she told me true?" Laura requested hopeful.  
  
"Yes. Every word is true." Stefan told her looking into her eyes, "My Katya would not even imagine being untruthful with you."  
  
  
Katarina felt in the way and was starting to get uncomfortable at the intense gazes the two adults were giving to each other. She cleared her throat to get their attention.  
  
"Ahem, um, it is late Papa, shouldn't you be getting home?" she hinted  
  
"Oh yes, I should. Laura, would you allow me to escort you to your home as well?" Stefan inquired.  
  
"That would be lovely Stefan." She took the arm that he offered her, "Good night Katya. I hope that we didn't wake you."  
  
"No, I have a habit of this, just ask the guards on the island. I used to frighten the new ones when I went on my midnight rides and walks."  
  
Stefan laughed at this, remembering the looks on the guards' faces after they had seen Katya riding in her nightclothes for the first time when she was 12. "You did give them a good scare. They thought that you were a goddess or a nymph on horse back when you were in that white nightgown."  
  
"It did not help that I was riding Persephone, a pure white Arabian." Katarina got out between her laughs.  
  
Laura looked at the two, "You went out riding at midnight, in a white nightgown, long light blond hair, and on a white horse? If I had seen that I would have thought you were a ghost. " Then she started laughing with the other two.   
  
Stefan observed Katarina stop laughing and yawn, "Laura, we should leave, Katarina needs her sleep."  
  
"You're right, bye Katarina, I promise I'll be back tomorrow, the hospital is so boring and your going to want all the visitors you can get!"   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
b** Five days later **/b  
  
  
Katarina was so happy, she was finally out of the hospital as of 15 minutes ago. Aunt Laura had told her that Papa had ordered for all her things from Greece to be brought to Wyndemere. And she was going to help Katarina get new clothes, she ordered for a tailor to come over today, at three, but first they were going to shopping.   
  
Laura pulled up to the front entrance of the hospital in her Jeep Grand Cherokee, Katarina got into the front set, and they went right to the mall.  
  
  
  
b** 20 minutes later **/b  
  
  
Katarina was in heaven. She breathed in the smell of new clothes. Laura had taken them to a mall in Port Charles where all the famous designer clothes, dresses, and shoes were. She'd never been in an American mall as herself before, this was going to be an experience.   
  
"So, where do you want to go first?" Laura asked.   
  
"Well, I think first up we should do undergarments."  
  
"Ok, Victoria's Secret." Laura proclaimed.  
  
Katarina followed Laura. She found exactly what she wanted there.  
  
Although no one would ever guess it, Katarina had a secret passion for negligee.  
  
  
They'd left the mall three hours later and filled the backseat and trunk with bags and bags of clothes, things for Katarina's bedroom, cosmetics, accessories, shoes, and even some things for Michael. Plus a few things that they were having immediately delivered.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** One hour later **/b  
  
  
Stefan was in his study looking over some paper work when he heard the commotion in the hallway. He opened his door and saw four men moving things up the staircase of Wyndemere.  
  
"What is going on here?" Stefan demanded.  
  
Katarina turned around, "Papa! Laura and I went shopping, remember? And we are re-decorating my room."  
  
"Oh, let me guess, raspberry, white, and some dark blue, right?"  
  
"You remembered! Yes, I am decorating to fit my vision of a perfect room. The one that Grandmother would never let me have."  
  
"Are you talking about that 'thing' you designed?" Stefan asked.  
  
"Yes Papa, but I did modify a few elements of the plan. To make so it was structurally achievable. Basically, I removed the greenhouse, and the horse corral." Katarina told him smiling.   
  
"Good. I did have Persephone transferred here from Greece, but I do not want her inside Wyndemere. She is perfectly happy in a stall next to Sheba."  
  
"You did?! Oh thank you Papa!" She exclaimed, then threw her arms around his neck hugging him tightly.  
  
  
  
b** Six hours later **/b  
  
Everything was finally completed with Katarina's room, for now. She was exhausted.  
  
She looked around and was pleased with what she saw.  
  
While she was in the hospital, Laura had arranged for the room to be painted raspberry and she'd put in a big canopy bed. They'd picked out the drapery and such today. It was cream and a little see through, but looked very nice.   
The dark oak bed was high, and you needed to use a step to get on it. The sheets were raspberry silk, and the comforter was a plaid raspberry and smoky blue. Katarina had always loved pillows, so there were eleven of them. Six of them were just for show, but five of them were, huge, fluffy, soft ones.  
  
Katarina slipped into her white satin nightgown, and climbed up the step and into bed. She turned off the light, so the room was only lit by the moonlight streaming in through the big windows. Katarina fell asleep as soon as her head hit the soft pillow.   
  
  
Stefan wandered around Wyndemere, thinking about what had transpired in the past week. He was furious at his mother for taking away his daughter like that. And he was so grateful that Katya had regained her memory, and was now back with him, where she belonged.   
  
Stefan found himself in front of Katarina's closed door, in her wing of the house. He'd decided that at her age, she should have privacy, and gave her plenty of it, a whole wing to herself.   
  
He knocked lightly and when he didn't get an answer, he opened the door. Stefan wasn't surprised to find his daughter asleep, considering she'd just gotten out of the hospital. Katarina's fair blond hair was hit by the moon just right, giving her an aura of an angel, she was his little angel.   
  
Stefan had always called Katarina his angel. Although she had a tendency to get angry, it wasn't very often. But when she did, everyone knew to get out of her way. She was like her mother in many ways. Yet she was still a Cassadine through and through, though a kinder, gentler version, due to Stefan's upbringing.   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
b** Two days later **  
** On the Launch to Wyndemere ** /b  
  
  
Jason took a deep breath. Katya had gotten out of the hospital on Monday, so today was going to be their first date. He had done exactly what she had asked, he'd even made reservations at Café Matíese   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Katarina was in her suite. Stefan had kept all her things, and he'd had them shipped from Greece earlier that week. Best of all, her father had given her a new Cassadine medallion today, since Helena had taken Katarina's before turning her into Caroline Benson.   
Although Katarina had bought a completely new wardrobe, she'd had all the clothes altered so they would fit her perfectly, and one of her new formal dresses had just arrived. It was ice blue, and the fabric shimmered. It had tiny straps, an empire waist to emphasize her breasts, and a long skirt that's back just touched the ground and dragged a bit. Giving it a beautiful, innocent effect, that was still very alluring, precisely her style. She'd accessorized the dress by pinning her hair up, wearing her medallion, a blue diamond bracelet, some drop blue-diamond earrings, a blue-diamond ankle bracelet, and platform sandals that matched the dress perfectly.   
  
She made her way down the staircase and into the living room where Laura and Stefan were talking, sitting very close together.  
  
Katarina cleared her throat at the doorway. The two heads turned, and she spun around for them   
  
Both adults were breathless.  
  
Laura spoke first, "Oh Katya, you look so beautiful, like the princess you are."  
  
"Yes you do." Stefan beamed, "You look just like your mother when I met her. She was just as magnificent. I take it that you are going on a date with Mr. Morgan?"   
  
"Yes Papa. He should be here any minute. Will you entertain him so I can make an entrance?" Katarina implored hopefully.  
  
"Of course we will." Laura answered for both of them.   
  
"Thank you Aunt Laura!" She gave the woman a quick, careful hug, the hurried back upstairs.   
  
Stefan and Laura looked at each other, then burst out laughing.   
  
  
Nikolas walked into the living room after a great date with Emily, and saw his parents laughing, "What's so funny?"  
  
"It's just your older sister. It's her first date with Jason tonight." Laura explained. She noticed the expression on his face, "Speaking of dates, from the grin on your face I'd say you just got back from a date with Emily." Laura had found out about the two soon after Nikolas had met with Emily. She was glad that her son was happy, with a girl so much closer to his age.  
  
"Yeah. I don't know what made me take so long in realizing how amazing she is." Nikolas confesses to his parents.   
  
Stefan was about to say something when the doorbell rang. They all knew who it had to be, and got up then went to the front hall.  
  
  
Jason was escorted into the house. He wasn't surprised to see Stefan Cassadine in the vestibule waiting for him. Laura Spencer was there, as well as Nikolas Cassadine. "Is Katya ready?" He asked bluntly in Jason fashion.   
  
"I'll go check." Nikolas told them, taking off up the stairway.  
  
  
Katarina was in her wing, pacing in the hall. She spotted Nikolas coming towards her, "Is he here Nikoli? Is Jason here?"  
  
"Yeah, do you want me to escort you down the stairs?" He asked in the tradition of royal-brotherly fashion.  
  
"No, I will come down a minute after you." Katarina divulged him.  
  
Nikolas nodded then withdrew down the hallway, and back down the stairs.   
  
"She'll be down in just a minute." He reported.  
  
  
Katarina took a deep breath at the top of the stair, then slowly made her way down the staircase, with the air of royalty.   
  
Around her arms was a wrap that matched her dress. She looked spectacular.   
  
Jason couldn't take his eyes off of her. Katarina smiled at him and captured the arm that he offered once she was on the landing.   
  
Both do not speak until they are on the launch going across the water.  
  
"You look beautiful." Jason imparted.  
  
"You look very nice yourself." Katarina told him, taking a long look at his well-toned body in a tailored Armani suit. "So, where are we going?" She asked excited.  
  
"It's a surprise." He told her, then slipped on a blindfold over her eyes.  
  
  
b** 25 minutes later **/b  
  
Jason led her to the resturant, then slipped off the blindfold. He opened the door for her, and led her inside.   
  
The maitre de led them to their table.   
  
  
Katarina was impressed. Jason had done exactly what she requested. They were both handed their menus, then left alone.  
  
"I am delighted that you brought me here. It is perfect." Katarina told Jason, looking into his eyes.  
  
"I'd do anything for you."  
  
Their waiter then came up.  
  
Katarina ordered first, "I will have angel hair pasta."  
  
[bare with me, I suck at spelling!]  
  
"I'll have the félie menión." Jason ordered.  
  
The waiter bowed, took their menus then disappeared. Then returned 20 minutes later with their dinner.  
  
"How is Michael?" Katarina asked. She hadn't seen her little boy in a week. Not since before the accident.  
  
"He's doing fine. He misses his mother though. Would you like to go visit him later?"  
  
Katarina's eyes light up, "That would be great. Can we go right after dinner?" She requested impatiently.  
  
Jason smiled at the amazing grin on her face, he just loved the way her face lit up when anyone mentioned Michael, "Of course." Jason assured her.  
  
A waiter showed up with a bottle of wine and fills Jason's glass, he went to fill Katarina's but she shook her head no.  
  
"Why not?" Jason questioned confused, Carly had loved wine.  
  
"I am not legal." Katarina stated. "I only just turned 20 a month ago. Plus, I am on medication from the hospital still."  
  
"You did? I didn't know there was an age difference." Jason remarked.  
  
"Oh yes. Caroline was four years older than me."   
  
"That much? Wait, she was 24?"   
  
"Yeah. Did you even know how old she was?" Katarina asked surprised. "Wait, she did not tell you. Carly had always been secretive about her age. 'She' was only just 21 when I came to town. Of course in reality I was only 17."  
  
Jason who'd just taken a bite of his meal nearly choked, "You were only 17?"   
  
"God wait until Edward hears about that." He muttered under his breath.  
  
"I will tell you later. Once we get back to the penthouse." Katarina promised him. Then started to eat her meal.   
  
Jason could tell at that moment that there was going to be differences between Carly and Katya, big differences.   
  
  
  
b** One hour later **/b  
  
  
Johnny opens the door for Jason and Katarina. He heard about what had happened, and he can actually tell that there was a difference in her mannerisms.  
  
  
Katarina rushed right over to the playpen where Michael was playing, waiting for his mid-night chat with his dada. She picked him up and spun him around in the air then hugged him to her chest. She started muttering things to him in a soft calm voice in his ear. Jason smiled at the sight, but wondered what she was saying to him, because Katarina was speaking Greek.   
  
[translated for your enjoyment.]  
  
"Hello baby!" Katarina cooed, "How are you doing? Do you know that your mama missed you? Yeah, mama missed her Micah. Did you miss Mama too? Ohh my sweet little boy."  
  
Michael giggled at all the attention. Katarina hugged him to her chest and bounced Michael up and down as she walked back and forth, still cooing in his ear.   
  
Michael stuck his thumb into his mouth and started sucking on it. His eyelids began to droop too.   
  
"I think he's falling asleep." Jason whispered to her.  
  
Katarina nodded, then slowly made her way to the stairs and carried Michael into his room, and sat down in the rocking chair.  
  
Jason hesitated for a minute, then followed and watched from the doorway.  
  
"You have no idea how spoiled you are going to be Micah." Katarina softly told Michael in English, "Your Grandpapa, Auntie Alexis, and Uncle Nikoli are going to spoil you rotten. As well as I am going to. And do not worry, I will never let that mean woman, your Great Grandmother, get her hands on you. No I promise you will never have to see the things I have seen, be punished by her by being locked in your room with out food for days like your Grandpapa and Auntie Alexis were. I will protect you from her, everyone will."  
  
Jason watched Katarina conversed with Michael, "I never knew my mother. She died giving birth to me. They tell me that she looked like me. You, unfortunately, look like your Great Grandpapa Mikkos, he was handsome, but he was a horrible man. They say though, that he wasn't as horrible long ago when my father was young. It was only after some woman named Kristin, Auntie Alexis's mother was killed by Grandmother that he went crazy. Then he died trying to freeze the world. It was a very sad day for the Cassadine's, which is what you are, a Cassadine. I know a secret of Grandmother's though. She kept that a secret for many years, but I found the records, three years ago. That is one of the reasons she kidnapped me. It is this secret that will protect you."  
  
She looked down and saw that Michael was asleep. She stood up and laid him in his crib, "Yes my Micah, sleep. May you never dream the nightmares of which that every child who meets Helena Cassadine has dreamt a thousand times." Katarina whispered confidently.  
  
Jason quickly returned downstairs before he can be caught, sensing that he'd overheard a private conversation.   
  
Katarina came back downstairs with a serious expression on her face.   
  
"It is time I should be returning home. Papa will be getting worried." She informed Jason after reaching the bottom of the stairs.   
  
Jason, who'd been sitting on the couch, immediately stood up. "Oh, um, do you want me to walk you home?"  
  
"No, I do not want you to leave Michael here without you, in case he wakes up." Katarina insisted.  
  
Jason can tell that she meant it, so he agreed, "Alright, but at least take a limo to the launch." He insisted back, he knew things got pretty rough on the docks lately, and Katarina definitely couldn't handle them like Carly could have, in fact though, Carly probably couldn't of handled things, it had gotten really rough right now because Moreno was still pulling things.   
  
Jason moved right in front of Katarina, "I do not want anything to happen to you." He confessed. He brought up his hand and placed on the side of her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb.  
  
Katarina looked into his eyes, "Really?"   
  
"Really" Jason breathed, then gently kissed her lips.  
  
Katarina responded gently, and put her arms around his neck. Their bodies pressed against each other's, Jason wrapped his arms around her waist. He ran his tongue over her lips and she parted them, deepening the kiss. They started to kiss more passionately.   
  
Katarina is not want to stop, but she knew she had to. She pulled back, panting, "I have to go."  
  
Jason nodded his head in agreement. He knew that if she stayed any longer, he wouldn't be able to control himself anymore than she would be able to if she stayed.   
  
Katarina seized her purse and her wrap from the table and went out the door flushed.   
  
  
b** Ten minutes later **/b  
  
The limo pulled up to the launch, the guard got out, then helped Katarina out. She was still in a daze from the kiss that Jason had given her. She practically floated on air on the way into Wyndemere.  
  
  
Stefan and Laura were in the living room, Laura had fallen asleep on Stefan's shoulder, and he was reading the uIliad/u in its native form. He looked up when Katarina breezed through the door. She is not even glance in their directions as she went up to her bedroom, she was too wrapped up in her own little world.   
  
  
b** Four hours later **/b  
  
Katarina was tossing and turning in her bed. Calling out loudly, "Mother! Mama! No please, do not go!"  
  
Nikolas came running into her room, he could hear her in his bedroom. He took one look at her and knew what was happening, she was having the nightmare. She hadn't had it since she was 15, but he knew the signs.   
  
Nikolas got into bed with her and shook her awake. Katarina woke up shaking.  
  
She looked at Nikolas and broke down in tears, "Why? The dream will not stop Nikoli. Why does she always run away?"  
  
"I don't know Katya. I don't know." He murmured, rocking her back and forth, just like he would always do on the island when she had the nightmare. Only they knew about the dream, and Katarina made Nikolas never tell. He held her like that until she calmed down enough to speak clearly.  
  
"It is not fair. It is not fair Nikolas that your mother is so close, and loves you so much. My mother left me." Katarina paused, "No, she did not leave me, it is my fault she is gone, it is my fault that she is dead." Katarina declared, then looked out the window.  
  
Nikolas looked up in shock; he'd never known that she felt this way. She'd never revealed this to him before.   
  
"It is not your fault. It is no one's fault that she died." He protested.  
  
They had always been each other's best friends; he was astounded that he'd never know this about her. After 16 years living in the same house as her, spending most of the day with her, he'd never known that she'd blamed herself over her mother's death.  
  
"Yes it is Nikolas, if I had not been born she would have never died." Katarina insisted, "I am a murderer, I killed her by living."  
  
"That is not true Katya. First of all, you had no control over being born. And you know that she wanted you with all of her heart."  
  
"But would she have wanted me if she knew that I would kill her." She questioned gravely.  
  
  
Just then Stefan came in; he'd heard the commotion, "What's wrong?" he questioned.  
  
"She had a nightmare." Nikolas explained.   
  
"Oh. What was it about Katya?"  
  
"Nothing that you need to worry about. But I need to tell you something. About Grandmother taking me." Katarina confessed, wanting to get this off her chest.  
  
"What about it?" Stefan asked concerned.  
  
"Sit down, this is going to shock you."  
  
Stefan sat in a chair next to her bed. Katarina gets out of the bed and kneeled by her father's chair.   
  
"Papa, I found something, I was looking over the medical records of the family members. And I noticed something odd about Stavros's blood type. You see, Grandpapa had type B+, Grandmother was type A-, and you were AB, as were Nikolas and I. But Stavros, he was type O-."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I pulled up Stavros's birth records, they said that he was B. So I called some of my sources, they did some research for me, and found out that Stavros, although born a month early, still weighed 7lbs 4oz at birth. The size of a full term baby." Katarina takes a deep breath, "I made inquires and found out that a month before Grandmother was supposedly impregnated by Grandpapa with Stavros, she'd been in Paris, with a male companion, who was supposedly just a friend. They had been everywhere together, and well, an informer told me that they even stayed in accompanying suites at the hotel. After they parted ways, soon after Stavros was born, the man was wired a large some of money each year . . . Papa, what I am trying to say is that, Stavros is not a Cassadine. He did not have Cassadine blood in him. It is you who are truly the eldest, you are The Cassadine."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Please, I want replies, I live for feedback, good or bad!   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	3. Dates

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters (damn it!), they belong to ABC, the producers of GH and Goddess knows whoever else.  
  
  
I~ This is actually my first fan fiction, but, like it's title, it was lost, well stolen is more like it. Because the notebook I wrote it in was stolen out of a gym locker room. Why somebody took it is beyond me, but nonetheless, they did. I've rewritten it to the best of my ability. I hope that you like it, it gives a really weird twist to the Carly story line. I warn you though, I was really eager for things to go where I wanted them to, so things move very quickly. ~ /I  
  
  
  
Lost Princess   
By Clover  
  
  
Chapter 3  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Stefan stared down at his daughter, his little girl, in complete shock.  
  
Nikolas had the same expression on his face.  
  
Stefan finally gets a grasp on his motor functions, "I am The Cassadine?" He was in shock. It wasn't fair, all those years of unequal attention on his brother by his mother. It didn't make sense, if he was the true Cassadine, why did she always dote on Stavros.  
  
Stefan stood up abruptly, "I'm going to go take a walk, don't wait up for me children."  
  
"Yes Papa." Katarina and Nikolas tell him.  
  
Stefan then left the room.  
  
Katarina stood up then got back in bed.  
  
Nikolas stared at her sister for a moment. The room was completely silent.  
  
Katarina broke the silence, "Congratulations Nikoli. You are a prince once again, and I am still just a princess. How are you doing?"  
  
"It's a lot to take in. I am shocked. I just got used to being Father's son, not Stavros's and not being groomed to take over. Now it turns out I am THE prince after all, and the future Cassadine. That Grandmother kidnapped my sister, so as not to reveal my father's rightful place as The Cassadine, which caused my true parentage to be hidden so long. My mother wouldn't have been kept from me. I wouldn't have grown up without her, all for Grandmother's desire for Uncle Stavros to be The Cassadine because she knew she could control him, and she couldn't control Father." Nikolas confessed stressed, shaking his head as if to clear it and make these feelings go away.  
  
"Nikolas, everything worked out though! You have your mother plus two siblings, I am back with our family where I belong, Father will take over as The Cassadine. Besides, I might not have met Jason, and I would not have had Michael then."   
  
Nikolas thought about what she said, then nodded his head, "I guess . . ." He trailed off, then smiles thinking of something, "Which reminds me, when am I going to meet my nephew?"  
  
Katarina's face lit up, "Oh yes! That is right, you have not met Michael! I will call Jason tomorrow and have him bring Michael over. You will love Micah he is a so smart, sweet, cute, and handsome. He looks like Grandpapa, except he has strawberry blond hair. I have a feeling that it will not remain that way though, given his parentage. Nikolas, you would not believe how much joy a baby brings, I only hope that one day you will have children like Micah too."  
  
Nikolas smiled at his sister, he liked hearing her gush about her son, he too hoped that one day he'd have children that he'd brag about as well. He then remembered the conversation they were in the midst of when all this had come to light.   
  
"Katya. You don't really think that you killed your mother do you?"  
  
Katarina looked at him, her eyes growing dark, and "I know I did, I am entirely at fault. I killed her."  
  
"Katya, you didn't kill Nícole."  
  
"Can you prove that? Can you prove to me that I didn't kill her?"  
  
"No, but you can't prove that you did."  
  
"Yes I can. She's dead. She died right after I came out of her. If I hadn't had been born, she wouldn't have died." Tears streamed down Katarina's face  
  
"You don't know that Katya. And you never will. No one blames you, they never have, and they never will. Father probably considers himself lucky too not to have lost both of you. He was nearly destroyed when you disappeared. Father and I both looked for you for six months. And then we didn't give up, but we realized that we couldn't . . ." Nikolas started to get choked up, remembering what they had thought might have happened.  
  
"Oh Nikoli. But I was alright, for the most part. I am home now. And I promise that I will make her pay. I will Idestroy/I Grandmother for what she has done. Timora will be ours."  
  
Nikolas could tell that Katarina meant business, and there would be no stopping her, there was only one thing that he could do, "I'll be there for you all the way. Grandmother will regret what she has done to our family before we are through with her."  
  
"Nikoli, I have a question, why was Aunt Alexis so quick and suspicious looking when she visited me in the hospital." Katarina asked naively.   
  
"Oh, well, Alexis betrayed father. She made him think that Katherine was actually Natasha."  
  
"Is that all? bThat/b is why he is so mad at her. All because she tried to rescue him from that gold-digging tramp, that way, as a last device? And he Istill/I has not exonerated her, even though Ishe/I is his sister Natasha? I am definitely going to have to have a serious discussion with him about (yawn) that. Father has gotten too obstinate."   
  
He could tell that her eyes were dropping, which meant that she really needed to get back to sleep, but that she was fighting it because she wanted to wait for Father.  
  
"Katya, go to sleep."  
  
"But I need to stay up for . . ." Katarina started, but Nikolas cut her off.  
  
"I'll wait up for him, you need your sleep." Nikolas insisted, going right back into the routine of taking care of her.  
  
Katarina knew that she'd never win quarreling with him, "Alright." She gave in, collapsing against the pillows falling asleep, "Just make certain (yawn) he gets home (yawn) safely." Then she was fast asleep.  
  
Nikolas quietly got up, turned off the light, then went to the entertainment room to get comfortable for the long haul of the night until their Father returned home.  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
Jason watched out the window of his penthouse. He just couldn't sleep, he's mind was full of thoughts of Katarina, making it impossible. She was just so extraordinary, beautiful, sexy, spirited . . .just plan amazing. Katarina was different than Carly, but yet the same. They had the same face, voice, and endless amounts of love, but their personalities were different, Carly had been impulsive and did things without thinking, where Katarina was patient, and carefully planned her actions. With Carly he'd never known what to expect, with Katarina it was the same way, but she had a demeanor about her that assured him that she would never do something to put anyone in danger.  
  
Jason knew that he loved her, and that she loved him, but where they were heading was a mystery. He just hoped that wherever they ended up, it was together.  
  
Jason went upstairs and checked on Michael, who was sleeping peacefully. Then he went to his own room, to try and sleep for at least a few hours. He tried, but his head still was occupied with thoughts of Katarina, and that kiss they shared before she'd left.  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
b** Same time **/b  
  
Emily woke up with a start, she just had a bad feeling that something had happened. To Nikolas, that something big had changed.   
  
She gave up on the thought of sleep and got dressed. She pulled on a pair of carpenter jeans, a white long sleeved shirt, and a dark gray Old Navy Tech vest. She grabbed her jacket, and then climbed out the window, with the Q's none-the wiser.  
  
Emily then "borrowed" Ned's car and drove off.  
  
  
b** 15 minutes later **/b  
  
Emily stepped off the launch and went up to the large home of the Cassadine's. She knocked on the door, and was a little surprised that someone was up to answer it.  
  
A servant led her to the entertainment room where Nikolas was listening to the radio. Emily stood in the door silent for a moment listening to the lyrics of Hootie and the Blowfish.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IYou and me, we come from different worlds   
You like to laugh at me when I look at other girls  
Sometimes you're crazy then you wonder why  
I'm such a baby cause the dolphins make me cry  
But there's nothing I can do  
I've been looking for a girl like you  
  
You look at me, you got nothing left to say  
I'm gonna pout at you until I get my way  
I won't dance, you won't sing   
I just wanna love you   
But you wanna wear my ring  
  
But there's nothing I can do  
I only wanna be with you  
You can call me a fool  
I only wanna be with you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
It was one of Emily's favorite songs. She stared at Nikolas before she moved from her place in the door.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IPut on a little Dylan  
Sittin' on a fence  
I said, "That line is great" you asked me what it meant   
Said I shot a man named Gray  
Took his wife to Italy  
  
She inherited a million bucks, when she died it came to me  
I can't help it if I'm lucky  
I only wanna be with you  
Ain't Bobby so cool  
I only wanna be with you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Emily silently walked over and sat down next to Nikolas who was surprised to see her, but was glad she was there.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IYeah I'm tangled up in blue  
I only wanna be with you  
You can call me a fool  
Only wanna be with you   
  
Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever end  
You get so mad at me when I go out with my friends  
Sometimes you're crazy then you wonder why  
I'm such a baby and the dolphins make me cry /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
She took his hand in her small hands and held it, resting her head on his shoulder. Nikolas wrapped his other arm around her, holding her close.   
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
IThere's nothing I can do  
I only wanna be with you  
You can call me a fool  
I only wanna be with you  
Yeah I'm tangled up in blue  
I only wanna be with you /I  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
The song ends and Nikolas turns off the stereo system with the remote.  
  
They sit in silence for a minute, then Emily asks, "What happened? What's wrong?"  
  
Nikolas looks at her in amazement, "How did you know something was wrong?"  
  
"I woke up suddenly tonight, and I could just tell something was wrong with you. I was worried so I snuck out." Emily admitted, "Now, tell me, what's up?"   
  
"It's the reason Katarina was taken and brainwashed. She had discovered something my grandmother had been hiding." Nikolas recounted.  
  
"What?" Emily asked shocked at this.   
  
"My Uncle Stavros wasn't The Cassadine, he's not even a Cassadine at all. He was the product of some affair she had. My father, he's The Cassadine, he's the rightful ruler of the Cassadine Empire! Which means that once again I'm the prince, and the future Cassadine."  
  
Emily was beyond shocked, she knew that Nikolas had a tough life, but this was getting ridiculous. Hadn't fate dealt the poor guy enough before this?  
  
"How are you dealing with this?" Emily posed concerned.  
  
"Pretty well considering everything. I'm just worried about Father. After my sister told him about her findings he left to take a walk. Katya and I are very worried about him, the only way I could get her to go to sleep was to promise to stay up waiting for him, but it's not like I would have been able to sleep anyway."  
  
Emily didn't know what to do. She let Nikolas make the first move, he wrapped his arms around her, and they just sat their on the couch, waiting.   
  
  
~*~  
  
  
At the same time as Emily woke up, Laura too woke up with a start, something was wrong. She got up, put on her robe and walked downstairs. She decided that she needed some fresh air so she opened the front door and was surprised to see Stefan standing there.  
  
"Stefan? What are you doing here?"  
  
Stefan turned around and the look of being totally lost and one of pain was in his eyes. Laura knew immediately that Helena had done something.  
  
"Stefan, please come in here. Come in out of the cold." She insisted, leading him inside and to the couch. "Sit here, I'll go make us some tea."  
  
A few minutes later she returned with two cups of chamomile tea.  
  
"Now tell me, what has happened." Laura insisted handing him a cup and sitting down next to him.  
  
"My mother. She kidnapped my daughter and brainwashed her because Katya had found out her secret."  
  
Laura was horrified, "What secret?"  
  
"Stavros, he's not a Cassadine at all, which means that I am."   
  
Laura was stunned, she was silent for a few minutes, trying to process this. All that had happened, being kidnapped, forced to marry Stavros, find out Luke was alive, going back for just one last look, Luke killing Stavros, not being able to go back to her new family Stefan, Nikolas, and Katarina, Nikolas not trusting her, all this because of Helena's dirty secret.  
  
"You are the Cassadine? Oh my lord. I can't believe it. How could she? Why?"  
  
"I have no idea. My mother is a cruel woman."   
  
Laura nodded her head in agreement.   
  
"My Fod. I cannot believe the lengths that woman will go to just to have her way. Kidnapping her own Granddaughter, brainwashing her."  
  
"And for that she must pay. We must make sure she will NEVER harm another soul again."   
  
"You are absolutely right. Who knows whose life she might obliterate next. We have to stop her." Laura vowed  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
** Music credits: Only Wanna Be With You, By Hootie and the Blowfish **  
  
  
Please reply! Questions, comments, requests, or just tell me what ya think!  
  
  
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